New Colt's Single Action Army .45 Unboxing and first shoot

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1KPerDay

1KPerDay

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So... I have been looking for a Colt's SAA .45 for about 3 years. Prices are crazy. Supply is nearly nonexistent. I had quite a few Cabela's points so wanted to get it through them. I was on a waiting list for almost 2 years. Yesterday they called. :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

I nearly bought a Uberti a few days ago. But I didn't. I now actually have a Colt Single Action, the first one I've ever actually handled. 7.5" barrel, case hardened/blued, .45 Colt. It is nice. I literally got chills when they opened the box to check out the revolver. Cabela's dudes were very helpful and the price was "only" 11% over MSRP, which for Cabela's and for SAAs is IMO pretty good these days. If you disagree, well, it wasn't your money. :neener:

My initial impressions:

--lighter than I imagined
--smaller than I imagined
--4 clicks are just as satisfying as I imagined
--shoots pretty much to POA, at least with factory Ultramax 200 grain and American Eagle 225 grain, which I wasn't expecting
--action is a tad rough, and trigger is a bit stiff, with some creep. Uberti Evil Roys are much smoother, for example. Definitely shootable and satisfying, though. I may try to learn what/where to polish, or send it off for a professional action job if I ever win the lottery.

Photobucket is down today so you'll have to wait for pics, but here's a video if you are interested.

https://youtu.be/v9iReupY0pI


Further discussion will be requested once the pics are functioning, but on close inspection it appears Colt may have sold me a slightly used firearm, judging by some bluing wear at the front of the cylinder and maybe left edge of the muzzle; common for revolvers that have been holstered. I can't think of any other explanation but honestly I didn't notice it during my hasty, adrenaline-fueled inspection, and I would probably have purchased the gun regardless. You may call that stupid but I've been wanting one of these for decades and seriously looking for 3 years.

So... anyway. I'm happy with it, and it shoots and handles well. I imagine once I win the lottery I'll send it off for ivories, assuming it's still legal then, and maybe have Ford's reblue the cylinder. You may opine that I'm being anal about it once you see the pics, but it's very strange and it does bother me a little.
 
Yeah, there's something about those old Colts that is mighty satisfying. From my point of view I prefer the New Frontier with adjustable sights.

I have been know to speak highly of Single Action Revolvers, both Colts and Rugers.

Bob Wright
 
BobWright said:
Yeah, there's something about those old Colts that is mighty satisfying. From my point of view I prefer the New Frontier with adjustable sights.
Click to expand...
I like those and would buy one if I could find one and had the money. But I wanted my first SAA to be the "original" design.
 
Gorgeous Colt!
You're a patient man, 1k. I couldn't wait two years so had to persuade my brother for a couple of months to let me trade him out of one of his three SAA. All were (are) new in box, but made in 1979.

Here's the .357 he let me have (for a 2nd Gen 1851 Navy & Ruger SS New Vaquero - both unfired). I'll get around to shooting it one of these days:

5eb358b94a97d80a1e04bdb70e8369695efbf45.jpg
 
I may try to learn what/where to polish, or send it off for a professional action job if I ever win the lottery.
Click to expand...

Given your apparent experience and the cost of the revolver, I strongly suggest you pick a professional. If you need a practice piece to learn on, buy a used Italian replica.
 
1KPerDay

How's that song go..."Ain't nothin' like the real thing baby!" Congrats on finally prevailing with the new Colt SAA!
 
1KPerDay

One beautiful Colt Single Action Army! Nothing quite like Colt's color case hardening and fine polish and blued finish! Thanks for the photos.
 
Beautiful revolver . I was in the same boat as you waiting , but I ended up buying a Smoke Wagon after waiting a year . I would still like to get a Colt SAA , they are just beautiful and I love the loud 4 clicks .
 
Howdy

Congratulations on your new Colt, I hope you enjoy it.

Now...........I really doubt Colt sold you a slightly used revolver.

That is not holster wear on your cylinder. This is holster wear. This is a 2nd Gen SAA with a fair amount of holster wear. I have shot this Colt a lot in CAS over the last ten years or so. Lots and lots of drawing and reholstering. Notice how the blue has been worn evenly completely around the circumference of the front edge of the cylinder. Not elongated ellipses centered on each section leaving some blue showing as yours shows. Notice too that the wear to the blue extends along the edges of the flutes too. This is typical of holster wear. Modern blue is very robust, your cylinder would not show holster wear from just a few drawings and reholsterings. It took a bunch of years, and a lot of shooting, for this cylinder to look like this. Unfortunately, I think Colt just did not do a perfect job of blueing your cylinder. You may want to contact them and show them some good photos or the cylinder, who knows, maybe they will make it right. Can't speak about the blue missing at the muzzle, I did not see a photo of it.

cylinder%20wear_zpsk9fwgepi.jpg





Here is another view of the holster wear on the cylinder of my 2nd Gen. Yes, that is a turn line, but I didn't do it, it was there when I bought the gun.

turnline2ndgenColt02_zps80ac59f7.jpg



This is the muzzle wear on my Colt. Again, the result of lots and lots of holstering. Yes, there are plenty of little scratches on this pistol, it is a shooter, not a safe queen and it gets shot a lot.

muzzle%20wear%2002_zpsrauub98n.jpg



Anyway, I really hope you enjoy your new Colt. Be sure you load it properly to avoid a turn line. Load one, skip one, load four more. Cock the hammer all the way and then lower it on an empty chamber. Practice this with snap caps until you get it right. Never lower the hammer from half cock, that will raise the bolt and allow it to press against the cylinder. Any subsequent rotation of the cylinder and you get the start of a turn line.

And of course, never load six. Always load five and lower the hammer on an empty chamber.

Best of luck.
 
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Nice. I had a few of those, and I remember the thrill of that first 2nd Gen 44 Special - my first real Colt. A set of Wolff springs will do wonders for the feel in my opinion. After a bout with cancer, I re-examined my priorities and I am down to one Cimarron I have tuned, and in the dark I can't tell it from the real thing.
 
Thanks all. Yes, driftwood, I had determined that it wasn't holster wear for the reasons you state... it's not actually along the front edge of the cylinder. The Colt forum dudes swear up and down that it's lead plating from atomized lead being deposited, but danged if I can get it off.

I took the pics AFTER I shot it, and I can't really get a good look at the cylinder from the video I shot BEFORE I shot it, so I don't know. But they assure me it's common with these. We'll see I guess. I'm not sending it anywhere, at least for a good long while. I don't want to let it out of my hands. LOL
 
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